Letters to the Editor: Complain, complain, complain -- oh, the suffering of ex-California cops in Idaho

To the editor: The primary takeaway from your article about retired cops and firefighters taking their pensions and fleeing California is that certain pockets of this nation are riddled with petty — if not delusional — grievances. You get a well-paying job with both union and civil service protections, retire at 50 with a six-figure pension and complain.

Retired Long Beach officer Jorge Grajeda — now living in Eagle, Idaho — griped that he was paying up to $40,000 a year in taxes. Considering he earned nearly $253,000 in 2020 (per Transparent California), that’s an overall tax rate of a little more than 15%.

It’s a good thing he’s not living in a place like Norway, where he’d pay around 40% at his income. Maybe he would then complain about everyone being assured enough retirement income and safety net programs so they don’t wind up on the street.

I suppose five years from now, when The Times writes a followup article, I’ll get to hear these retirees moan about how cold Idaho is and how there’s nothing to do. And that everyone there complains too much.

Ron Shinkman, North Hills

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To the editor: Being a police officer is a harrowing job when it seems that almost everyone has access to a weapon. When it comes time to retire, your pension should reflect the sacrifices you and your family made.

Still, what struck me about one of the retired California police officers in Eagle, Idaho, was his support for a presidential candidate under indictment on 91 felony counts. The intellectual and moral conflict this represents doesn’t even seem to register.

One retired officer complained that California leaders no longer “have their backs,� meaning that whatever an officer does in the line of duty should be condoned and protected. This is not unlike former President Trump saying he should have immunity for whatever he did during his presidency.

This mind-set creates problems when public servants and leaders expect loyalty at the expense of protecting society and serving the greater good. Lawyers, doctors, nurses and teachers are held accountable every day for their mistakes, and it should not be any different for police.

Betty Seidmon-Vidibor, Los Angeles

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To the editor: The Times wrote a story about my hometown, and the only thing I recognize is the photos.

I live in Eagle, where I closely follow local politics. Our mayor’s race pitted incumbent Mayor Jason Pierce against City Councilman Brad Pike. The top issue was the annexation of Avimor, a nascent subdivision that lies nine miles up an empty stretch of highway from downtown Eagle.

Pierce, the incumbent, supported annexation; his opponent Pike was the only City Council vote to oppose the plan. In spite of vocal, organized and active opposition, annexation was approved earlier this year.

Just this month, Pierce was defeated in his reelection bid. Between general and run-off elections, greater than 60% of the votes went to candidates against annexation.

Jim Blachman, Eagle, Idaho

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To the editor: Also deserving of coverage in The Times is the brain-drain of military retirees leaving the state.

California is the only state in the U.S. that fully taxes military pensions, none of which is six figures. Many who collect them are in their 40s, and most would prefer to stay here. In fact, most could afford to stay with their lucrative second careers — which for now are in other states.

Assembly Bill 46, which would repeal the military pension tax for a decade, is being held up because of state budget concerns. This is more shortsighted than the political failures that set up the exodus of government retirees in your article about California cops in Idaho.

The military retirees, in their new careers, would probably pay more in state taxes over the long term than any short-term decrease in state revenue.

Raymond Roth, Oceanside